While we’re here on earth with our feet firmly planted on the ground, Pope Francis flies around the world on his airplane from place to place making what the media takes to be Francis’ latest ex cathedra statements. I suppose we should get used to the fact that every time he’s in flight, he makes mind-boggling off the cuff statements, so mind-boggling that by now we don’t pay much attention to what he says way up there the air. Why bother? We have the Catechism and Canon Law to consult right here on earth.

It’s as if, weighed down by woes and worries of the universal Church, Francis thinks himself not free to speak his mind but as soon as he’s on the plane he’s suddenly transformed into a spouting fountain of floating thoughts clouding his intellect.

This brings us to the July 27, 2016, “ex cathedra” statement of the pope speaking to more than 70 reporters from 15 different countries while flying through the air to Krakow, Poland which was: “This is war, but not a war of religion.

When asked about the vicious July 26th murder of Fr Hamel in Normandy, France by two evil Islamic demoniacs who slit his throat while celebrating Holy Mass, Francis said that the world is at war:

“A word that is often repeated is insecurity. But the real word is war. For some time we have been saying: ‘The world is fighting a war piecemeal.’ This is war. There was the war of ’14, with its methods; then that of ’39-’45, another great war in the world; and now there is this one. It is not perhaps so organic; organized, yes, but organic… I say… But it is war. This holy priest, who died in the very moment when he was offering prayer for the whole Church, is one (person): but how many Christians, how many innocents, how many children. We think of Nigeria, for example. But that is Africa. It is war. Let us not be afraid to say this truth: the world is at war, because it has lost peace.

“I would like to say just one word to be clear. When I speak of war, I speak of real war, not of a war of religion, no. There is war for interests, there is war for money, there is war for the resources of nature, there is war for the domination of peoples: this is war. Someone may think: ‘He is talking about a war of religion’. No. All the religions, we want peace. [No, Holy Father, not all religions want peace.] Others want war. Do you understand? [Well, I understand that you do not understand Islam.]”

Then to top off ignoring Islam’s war on other religions, on the same trip to Krakow the pope offended Catholic Church parish secretaries around the globe by describing them as “disciples of Satan”. He has only met a handful of church secretaries in his life. I don’t know what goes on in Argentina’s parish offices, but Pope Francis has never met our sweet amazing secretary, who by the way would never call anyone a disciple of Satan, unless of course she were talking about Muhammad.

Here’s what happened (excerpt from Catholic News service): Unlike previous trips where the Pope has given public speeches upbraiding national hierarchies, Francis chose a closed-doors meeting with the 117-member bishops’ conference in the Kraków cathedral. The released transcript is of the question-and-answer portion of the 90-minute meeting.

Answering a question from Polish Auxiliary Bishop Leszek Leszkiewicz on whether parishes are still the best way to reach people and on how to build up missionary zeal, the Pope stressed that the parish “is the house of the people of God” and must have its doors wide open to receive people.

But he warned: “There are parishes with parish secretaries who seem to be ‘disciples of Satan’ and scare people; parishes with closed doors,” he said.

The highly anticipated meeting came at a time of reported disagreements within the Polish Church over certain aspects of the Pope’s teaching, including his appeals for sheltering refugees.

Auxiliary Bishop Krzysztof Zadarko of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg asked the Pope not only how to help the large number of refugees coming into Europe, but how to overcome “the fear of a possible invasion or aggression that has paralyzed society.”

So I suppose instead of saying, “The beatings will continue until morale improves,” Pope Francis’ basic theme seems to be, “The beratings will continue until orthodox Catholics improve,” which basically means until they stop being orthodox and become liberals.